Adjustable ladder foot



INVENTOR BY I 7 1 N m, i 1

a M mud Rmm Emm w a J 2 .r a m I A c a v WITNESS:

ATTOR N EY Patented Dec. 14, 1926 PATENT OFFICE- EDWARD R. NEIL, OF TYIRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE LADDER FOOT.

Application filed February 24, 1926. Serial No. 90,371.

This invention relates to ladders for use by painters, mechanics and others, and has for its object the provision of a,novel foot structure or attachment which may be adjusted so as to bring the ladder into upright position even though it be standing upon a sloping, angular or irregular surface, thereb providing a firm footing and preventing s ipping and consequent in ury to the workman.

An important object is to provide a foot of this character which may be built upon new ladders or constructed simply as an attachment adapted to be engaged upon already existing ones, the structure being moreover simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to apply and adjust, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general'improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and ad'- vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and arrangement of'parts' to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 -is an elevation of a ladder equipped with the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one end showing the foot attached thereto,

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal section through the foot and a portion of the ladder,

Figure4. is a detail view of the clamping. washer, and

Figure 5 is a detailperspective view of the holding member for the bolt head.

Referring more particularly to the draw-- ings, the letter A designates the sides of an ordinary ladder equipped with the usual rungs B, and the attachment is designated by the letter C.

In carrying outthe invention I construct the attachment C as an elongated channellike body or member 10 which may be constructed as a casting or stamping, as preferred, this detail being immaterial. Almost 1 any metal would be suitable though sheet metal is very convenient. In any event, it is intended that the bottom. of the body mem:

ber 10 be closed and in the present instance,

in which the attachment is represented as constructed of sheet metal, a filler block 11 is secured within the lower end to provide a solid bearing adapted to engage upon the ground or other surface upon which the ladder is stood.

The members 10 are of course longitudinally'slidable upon the sides A of the ladder and it is clear that the channel shape mentioned is to provide a slot or longitudinal opening 12 for ,the accommodation of the.

lowermost rung or rungs.

The closed side of the body 10, or that side located at the outside of the ladder is formed with an elongated slot 13 at the edges of which the material is notched or corrugated as indicated at 11 for a purpose to be described.

The means for securing and adjusting the foot members comprises bolts 15 having vsquare shanks 16 received within angular sockets 17 in sleeves 17' carried by anchor plates 18 disposed against the inner faces of the ladder sides, these anchor plates having lugs 19 thereon penetratingly engaged within the ladder sides as clearly indicated in Figure 3. The bolts pass through the sides of the ladder, through the slots 13 and through clamping washers 20 which are disposed against the outer sides of the 'foot members and which have their faces toward the same corrugated or notched for interfitting engagement vwith the corrugationsor notches 14. Clamping is effected by means of suitable nuts 21 threaded onto the bolts 15.

In the operation, it will be apparent that by loosening the nut 21 afoot member may be slid longitudinally along the's'ide of the ladder. Obviously, if necessary, both may be adjusted so that the ladder will stand straight as indicated in Figure 1. When the proper position has been found the nuts 4 21 are tightened to maintain the desired adjustment.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have. thus provided a simply constructed and easily applied and adjusted devicefor the purpose specified and one which will be not only a great convenience but also a great safeguard to the workman using the ladder;

While I have shown and described the preferr'ed embodiment of the invention, it

should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not.

depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

An adjustable ladder foot comprising a channel member telescopically engaged upon the side of a ladder at the end portion thereof, said member having its outer face formed with a longitudinal slot and provided at opposite sides of the slot with transversely extending corrugations, a sleeve member secured through said side of the ladder and formed upon a plate-like anchor element havin lugs penetratingly engaged Within the side of the ladder, a bolt passing through said sleeve member and through the slot in the foot member, a Washer upon said bolt located outwardly of the foot member, and a nut upon the bolt, said bolt having an angular shank, and said sleeve member having an angular socket portion receiving said angular shank whereby to prevent rotation of the bolt with respect to the ladder side.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD R. NEIL. 

